Team Members
Consultants and Doctors
Dr Emma Husbands
Consultant in Palliative Medicine - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Dr Cath Blinman, MBChB, MRCP, Dip.Pall.Med
Macmillan Consultant in Palliative Medicine - Cheltenham General Hospital
After training in Bristol, Dr Cath Blinman moved up to Cheltenham and Sheffield for medical rotations. She was a GP registrar in the Derbyshire Peak District for six months and then worked in New Zealand and Australia for two years both in general practice and the hospitals as a medical registrar.
Back in the UK, she became interested in palliative medicine having gained so much hospital and community experience and trained in the speciality in Bristol, gaining a Consultant post at Cheltenham General in 2008. Although seeing mainly cancer patients due to the busy Cancer Centre there, she is working with colleagues on expanding the service into non-malignant conditions.
Dr Paul Perkins
Consultant in Palliative Medicine - Sue Ryder Care, Leckhampton
Dr Cath Morrison
Speciality Doctor in Palliative Medicine - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Cath worked at St Michaels hospice in Hereford for a year before joining the palliative care team at GRH in 2003. She has since obtained an MSc in palliative medicine and gained some experience working in the oncology centre at CGH. Cath has an interest in education and has organised the palliative care placements for the Gloucestershire Academy in addition to setting up the F1 specialty post within the hospital. Her office telephone extension is 5122 and she carries bleep 2391. Her email address is:
Dr Rachel Royston
Specialist Registrar - Cheltenham General Hospital
Allied Health Professionals
Sue Crowle
Specialist Palliative Care Social Worker - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
After working for the NHS since 1976 in a nursing capacity, Sue joined Gloucestershire Social Services in 1992 working in both Adult and Children’s services. Sue joined the Social Work Team at Cheltenham General Hospital in 2001, spending 12 months covering the Oncology department and qualified as a Social Worker in 2002 from the University of Gloucestershire. Sue joined the Palliative Care Team at Gloucester Royal Hospital in December 2004.
Diana Crossley, BSC (HONS), DIP CLIN PSYCH
Macmillan Clinical Psychologist - Cheltenham General Hospital
Diana is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and works both in the hospital team and in the community providing a service to people who are ill and their families. Diana has a particular interest and experience in working with families where there are young children and in providing group work opportunities.
Diana also provides multi disciplinary education across the county, and has an interest in resource development.
Diana’s office is based with the Specialist Palliative Care Team located on Rendcomb Ward in Cheltenham General Hospital
Sue Savory
Consultant Clinical Psychologist - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Health Professions Council registered and British Psychological society Chartered Psychologist
Sue is responsible for the management of the team of psychologists who work within Cancer Services, Oncology, Haematology and Palliative Care and the leadership and development of psychological care in these areas. She is a member of both the Palliative Care and Health Psychology management teams and is based in the Health Psychology department at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.
Her clinical remit is to patients and their close family members/carers who are affected by cancer or a life threatening condition. She also provides a small service to the HIV team at Hope House.
Since joining the trust in 2005, Sue has worked to promote the delivery of psychological care by a wide range of health care professionals in line with NICE (2004) guidance, via her membership of the Distress Thermometer working party, provision of communication skills training as a nationally accredited Advanced Communication Skills trainer, delivery of a range of trust and external training events, provider of clinical supervision and membership of the Specialist Palliative Care Strategic group in Gloucestershire, the Three Counties Cancer Network Psychosocial Implementation Group and Sue Ryder Psychological working party. She is also involved in the development of bereavement services in Specialist Palliative care in Gloucestershire.
Sue has been a qualified clinical psychologist since 1992 and has worked in mental health and physical health psychology services in Gloucestershire and Bristol.
Nurses
Denise Barr
Advanced Nurse Practitioner - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Denise has been in post within the team at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital since 1998. She first qualified as a registered nurse in 1980. Since that time she has worked in a variety of hospital based specialities in Jersey, London, Gloucester and Sydney Australia. Previous cancer and palliative care nursing experience has included working at St Christopher’s Hospice and also the Royal Marsden Hospital London, as well as enjoying her role as Senior Nurse in a local hospice for 4 years.
Alison Doyle
Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care - Cheltenham General Hospital
Emma Carter
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care - Cheltenham General Hospital
Helen Jones
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care - Cheltenham General Hospital
Rachel Kemp
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Administration Staff
Mary Nicholls
Office Manager - Gloucestershire Royal Hospital
Mary joined the Palliative Care Team as an Administrative Assistant in June 2001 and in 2006 became the Office Manager. She completed an NVQ3 for Administration in 2007
Sue Beale
Secretary - Cheltenham General Hospital